Police were forced to escort Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard from a
restaurant near Parliament House in Canberra on Australia Day, when
protesters surrounded the eatery.

8:37AM GMT 26 Jan 2012

Supporters of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra picketed the Lobby restaurant over comments by the opposotion leader Tony Abbott who was dining with the Prime Minister at an Australia Day celebration.

At least 50 police, including the riot squad, were called to the scene shortly after 2.30pm local time. The two leaders, protected security officers, escaped out a side door after about 20 minutes.

Protesters chased their car down the road, banging on its roof and bonnet.

The mayhem was apparently sparked after Mr Abbott questioned the relevance of a makeshift Aboriginal tent embassy, which was celebrating its fortieth anniversary on the lawns of Federal Parliament.

Fred Hooper, an Aboriginal community leader who was at the protest said the event had been peaceful until Mr Abbott made his remarks.